Fimo Air Dry Clay Projects

Katherine KallyUpdated February 21, 2017

FIMOair is a brand of modelling clay manufactured by Staedtler, a German company specialising in polymer/modelling clays, writing and drawing instruments. FIMOair is available in four different types for creating modelling projects that harden as they air dry and do not require firing or baking in a home oven. The types vary by weight, dry times and substance.

Jewellery

Create custom-designed pendants, charms and beads with FIMOair Light. Shape, cut, carve, mould and press FIMOair Light into flat or two- or three-dimensional jewellery items. To make a necklace pendant or a bracelet charm, use a clay or cookie cutter to shape a design in the softened clay. Remember to puncture a hole in the top of the design before the clay dries so you can incorporate the hardened project into your jewellery. To make beads, roll the softened clay into a snake, cut the snake into evenly spaced sections and insert a wire through the top to make an opening before the bead dries.

Home Decor

For sturdier objects for your home decor, such as coaster tiles, candle holders and ceramic containers, use FIMOair Basic to mould the projects. Like the other FIMOair products, you can hand-model or mould FIMOair Basic into decorative home accents, and then embellish the finished design with beads, wire or paint. Press beads and wire into the project before the clay dries, or glue them on afterward with viscous craft glue. Paint the dried clay object with acrylics to suit your home decor To make a clay bowl, roll a layer of soft clay into a sheet with uniform thickness. Drape the clay sheet over the bottom of an existing bowl to form the basic shape. Smooth the clay onto the bowl mould with your hands. Indent designs into the bowl using rubber stamps, press lace onto the wet clay to create a textured exterior or embellish the bowl with glass stones or tiles.

Kids' Crafts

Kids enjoy creating animals and other objects with any type of clay, but you may prefer that they work with FIMOair Natural. Made from 95 per cent natural substances, FIMOair Natural is especially break-resistant after it hardens. As with other FIMOair products, the kids' creations harden with air exposure. Whether the kids use clay moulds or model their projects by hand, FIMOair Natural offers the same flexibility for embellishment as the other FIMOair products.

Holiday Projects

Make decorative holiday ornaments using any of the FIMOair modelling clay products. Roll out a sheet of clay and then use a cookie cutter to make clay cutouts. Make a hole in the top for a hanger, and then decorate the dried clay project with paint, glitter and/or seed beads to suit the season. For example, to decorate a bell-shaped clay ornament for Christmas, paint the dried cutout with silver acrylic paint, then sprinkle glitter into the wet paint for added design. To make a festive Thanksgiving ornament that you can use as part of the centrepiece or as a place card, cut out a turkey-shaped section of clay and then paint it brown and orange. Sprinkle colourful seed beads into the wet paint to simulate tail feathers.

Resources

About the Author

Katherine Kally is a freelance writer specializing in eco-friendly home-improvement projects, practical craft ideas and cost-effective decorating solutions. Kally's work has been featured on sites across the Web. She holds a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of South Carolina and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.